Research Assignment:
Adobe Inspections. Adobe has been used for 4000 years as a building material. It has great thermal mass and is a great absorber of thermal energy. Adobe will keep a structure warm during the day and cool during the evening. It’s biggest downfall is that it susceptible to moisture and earthquakes. On a positive note, adobe only requires 1/150th of the energy to make an equal amount of Portland cement.
I was doing a home inspection of an old farmhouse for a realtor I have known for years. During the inspection of a section of the main support beam in the basement I was able to push my pick awl several inches into the beam. The realtor asked if I could leave this out of my report because this could be a deal breaker with his client. I informed him that I was bound by a Code of Ethics to report all findings and to be truthful in my findings.
when you are inspecting a deck you need to make sure that the bracing is parallel to the beam of the deck. Also the maximum height of the deck is 14”. For child safety the space between the railing of the deck should be no more then 4 inches. when inspecting the stairs going up to the deck from the out side the space between the rails should be no more then 4 3/8 inches. The space from the step of the stairs and the bottom rail should be no more then 6 inches. it is important to check those specs that way a small child is not able to stick his or her head in-between the rails.
Home Inspection Code of Ethics Hypothetical Essay:
I was hired to inspect a very large, expensive home for a prominent person. I found several minor issues within the home. The seller walked the home with me and offered me football tickets to “ignore” the defects and not include them in my report. I told him I couldn’t do that.
For my research, I learned about buying a foreclosed home. There are 4 ways to buy a foreclosed home:
Reading in library the article on kt wiring
My last electrical inspection was done for new home owner. The insurance company would not insure the home as it had kt wiring.the overall condition was good but where added splices over the years that made it a fire hazard. 2 prong receptacles were replaced with 3 prong with no ground, just to plug in new equipment. The average homeowner should not be doing electrical work,hire a professional and be safe, there is no need to have a fire or death because someone wanted to save a few bucks!!! Have the kt wiring replaced for safety sakes …
This is my short essay
I received a call from a old friend in high school who is now in real estate. He told me he had a big house that the deal needed to close. And the buyers wanted a home inspection done. He referred my company and then proceeded to tell me that the house has some structural issues. And if I would be willing to let the home buyers know everything was ok with the house there would be a financial kick back for me. I informed my old friend that I would not perform an inspection that wasn’t truthful and honest for financial reasons. My name and reputation is way more valuable then a couple hundred dollars. I have since not heard from him .
Short Essay: Bathroom Exhaust Fans
In summary bathroom exhaust fans must be installed in all bathrooms regardless if there is a window or not. Grills should be clean to maximize airflow and inspectors should comment if the grills are dirty. Fans can be tested with a smoke pen but this is over and above ISP. As an inspector should take note that the exhaust terminates outside the exterior of the home, and does not terminate beneath the insulation, mid-attic, or at the under roof vent. The vent should contain a bug screen at the termination, few bends and as short as possible, insulated in cold climates, and protrude at least several inches from the roof.
Improper exhausting into the attic spaces can create serious mold issues. If mold issues are suspected (almost impossible to identify) inspectors should use the term “appears to be microbial growth” and avoid the term “mold”. The inspector should also include in the report and in the signed inspection agreement that this is a General Home Inspection and not a mold inspection.
If there appears to be mold growth in either the bathroom or attic spaces it is a clear indication of improper ventilation. Corrective actions should be taken to avoid the possibility of structural decay and respiratory issues.
An example of a Code of Ethics violation or a conflict of interest could be: A real estate agent asking you not to list certain “deal breakers” or violations. Another violation or conflict of interest would be recommending a roofing company to the client while receiving compensation for directing that client to that specific roofing company. Another great example would be offering a real estate agent compensation for leads. Their are so many examples but I feel like looking past certain safety issues in the home along with placing your personal gain over legitimate concerns are all violations of the Code of Ethics and not acceptable in any cases. I feel that if their is a conflict of interest, you should then remove yourself from the situation to protect yourself and the client.
An example of a Code of Ethics violation or a conflict of interest could be: A real estate agent asking you not to list certain “deal breakers” or violations. Another violation or conflict of interest would be an attempt to increase business, a home inspector agree to pay realtor to promoted to the realtor’s clients who are purchasing a home.Recommending a roofing company to the client while receiving compensation for directing that client to that specific roofing company. Another great example would be offering a real estate agent compensation for leads. Looking past certain safety issues in the home along with placing your personal gain over legitimate concerns are all violations of the Code of Ethics and not acceptable in any cases. I feel that if their is a conflict of interest, you should then remove yourself from the situation to protect yourself and the client.
My essay for the code of ethics course
I will be in a conflict of interest if I offer my services to my client as a home builder to fix some problems found during the inspection that I just performed.
I’ve heard that some real estate agent offer to pay the inspection’s fee for the buyers, I don’t feel comfortable to receive money from a real estate agent after my inspection, feels like I owe him.
The suction line coming in to A/C compressor is the low pressure gas side.The discharge side of compressor is the high pressure gas. Coming out of condenser high pressure liquid The other side of expansion valve has low pressure liquid and the line coming out of condenser is a high pressure gas. Condensing unitMust be 3 inch above ground and 3ft from walls. High mold zone is above evopator.
An ethical issue I could see arising would be an inspector finding a potentially serious issue in a home, and the selling realtor just happens to be a good friend with the inspector. The realtor may ask the inspector to overlook or down play the issue. This would put the inspector in a hard situation. The inspector must maintain integrity and report on the issue as required.
A Guide to Engineered Wood Sheathing for Inspectors and DIY-ers:
**
**
This article talks about plywood being the first used wood panels. It then goes into the transformation of the wood panels creating OSB. This sheeting is widely liked by workers and is recognized by building codes. This article goes on to tell about all of the applications for and installation processes for OSB board.
One of the many conflicts that home inspectors might face for example, there could be no piping for the pressure release valve and so the real estate agent asks you if you can pass the hot water heater anyways and not worry about the piping that is suppose to be there. Instead I tell the real estate agent that I would recomend calling a plumber who is more knowledgable on this piece of equipment.
One of the things we cherish the most is our independence, this article goes in depth about older senior citizens like baby boomers who want to stay at there house for as long as possible. It give you things to look out for and things you can recommend for them to change for the elderly person. It also give you a little flyer that you can hand out to the customers.
A conflict of interest that a Home Inspector may experience would be private contractors offering a type of finders fee for referring home inspection customers for the contractors services. It would be immoral and inappropriate for an inspector to accept any cash or gifts for contractor referrals.
Hard water is fairly easy to detect in a home. Hard water will leave a residue in common water flow areas over time. Though the residue is the most obvious sign, it is not the issue. hard water can cause poor performance in water using appliances as well as create clogs on pipes and spouts. You can easily test for water hardness severity, which is measured in grains per gallon, liter or parts per million. Water hardness can be remedied with a water softener of water conditioner.
Starting the course, currently a handyman cant perform recommended repairs on inspection homes.
